Albert feabnaught



(No Moaex.)

v A.'FEARNAUGHT.

GRAVE SIGNAL.

No. 260,379. Patented July 4,1882.

' bym- Wg N. Farms, Pmwumegmher. wasmngnm D. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALBERT EEARNAUGHT, oE INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA.

G RAVE-SIGNAL.

SPECIFICATION forming. part of Letters Patent No. 260,379, dated July 4, 1882.

Application led March 30, 1882. (No modeL) Y To all 'whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, ALBERT FEARNAUGHT, of the city ot` Indianapolis, county of Marion, and State ot Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Grave-Signals, of which the following is a specification.

' letters of reference indicate similar parts, Figure 1 is a central vertical section'of a casket and case with my invention applied as it appears whenin use; Fig. 2,`a side elevation of the casket and invention, the case being in y section; Fig.3, a section, similar to that shown in Fig. 1, of the principal workin g parts of the device and the parts immediately surrounding them, on an enlarged scale; Fig. 4, a view similar to the bottom portion of Fig. 3, but with the spring released, as when the signal is up;

Fig. 5, aview from the opposite side of the parts shown in the upper end of Fig. 2; Fig. 6, a vertical section onthe dotted line x a', Fig. 3 and Fig. 7 a horizontal section, looking upward from the dotted line A; z in Fig. 4.

In said drawings, the.' portions marked A represent the case ordinarily used to inclose a coflin or casket before burial; B, said casket or coffin; C, a tube in the form of an elbow,

leading from the end ot' the casket to the top of the case; D, a stopper in the horizontal part of said tube; E, a spring in the vertical part thereof; F, a tube set over the mouth of the tube G, and extending to or above the top of the ground; Gr, a flag or other signaling device located inside of said tube; H, a rod on which said ag is mounted; I, a cap on said rod; J, a tube alongside the tube F, leading to an orifice in the case A; K, Fig. l, a stopper which fills an orice inl the opposite end of the casket from the tube C; L, a cord attached thereto; M, Fig. 1, an eye or pulley through which said cord passes, and N a cord attached to the stopper D.

The operation of my said invention is as follows: Before the casket is put in use the tube G is attached, the spring E is pressed down, and the stopper D is inserted, the stem d of the latter passing through the bearing c and entering the stem e of said spring, as shown most plainly in Fig. 3. Said spring is supported and said stem guided by the cross-bearing c. The cord N is connected to the stopper D and to the wrist of the supposed corpse. The stopper K is inserted in the orifice in the other .end of the casket, and the cord L is passed through the eye or pulley M, and also connected to the wrist of the supposed corpse. The casket being closed up and placed in the grave, the tubes F and J (which should be fastened together) are then set in position, the one covering the upper open end of the tube C and the other the hole a in the case A. When in this position the signal G and its rod H are forced down into the position shown by Figs. l and 3, the lower end of the rod resting ou the cap eor on the upper end of the stem e. The grave is then filled in the usual manner.

Should it prove that the supposed deathwas only a case of suspended animation, the buried person would, upon returning to consciousness, by a slight movement of the hand (whether Voluntary or involuntary) pull out both the Stoppers D and K, thus releasing the spring and 'throwing up the signal into the position shown by Figs. 2 and 4, and at the same time establishing a circuit through which cold air will freely circulate from the outside, thus ventilating the casket and permitting respiration until the grave can be opened. The tube J and the opening wherein the stopper K is inserted are for this last-mentioned purpose, as a single opening is not sufficient to establish a circulation of air. When the signal is thrown up it immediately attracts the attention of any person in sight of the grave, as it is or should be constructed of a red or other equally brightcolored fabric. The fabric is secured tothe arms g g, which are pivoted to the rod H,'and said arms are operated Vto spread apart by the springs h h, also secured to said rod, and thus display the signal to the fullest extent.

In order to secure the advantages of this in- IOO vention, it is of course necessary that sonic person should visit the vicinity ot' the grave frequently during the period of uncertainty as to the fate of the buried person, in order that the work of disinterring the body may at once be proceeded with should the signal be raised.

While of course this signal can be mischievously raised from the outside, such raising need not deceive any person, as, unless the spring E has been released, the signal can be readily put back in place, while if it has been the signal cannot be forced into the tube so that it will remain. As is readily apparent, the spring cannot be released except from the inside, and therefore it can at once be certainly ascertained whether or not the signal has been properly displayed.

After the body has been buried so long as to render it impossible that lit'e should remain, the tubes F and J, together with the signal, and other parts connected thereto, can be removed, the hole which they occupied lled up, and the grave will then present the ordinary appearance. That portion of the apparatus which is removed is capable of repeated use.

The cap I covers the two tubes extending above the ground after the manner of a roof, as shown, to keep rain from entering said tubes, as well when the signal is hoisted as when it is lowered.

Having thus fully described my said invention, whatI claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. A grave signal the essential features whereof are a tube leading to the coiiin or cashet, a signal-flag therein, a spring by which said signal-flag may be forced vertically upward above the top ot' said tube, and means for releasing said spring which may be operated from the inside of the coffin, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, in a grave-signal apparatus, with the signal, of the spring E and the stopper D, the stem of the latter being adapted to engage with the stem of the former, and to be disengaged by a cord attached thereto and extending inside the coffin, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination of the tube F, the rod H, the fabric G, the arms g g, and the springs h It, forming a grave-signal, substantially as shown and specified.

4. The combination, with the signal G and rod H, of the tube C, having bearings c and c', the spring E, having stem c, the stopper D, having stem d, and the cord N, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination ot' the two tubes, the two Stoppers, the signal, and means, substantially as described, for operating the same, all substantially as set forth.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal, at Indianapolis, Indiana, this 27th day ot' March, A. D. 1882.

ALBERT FEARNAUGHT. [L s] In presence of- C. BRADFORD, CHAs. L. THURBER. 

